Our Time on Armageddon
by infinitus
Summary: Read as my men and I try to turn back an Ork onslaught
1. Chapter I Prelude to Battle

We all entered the drop ship of our beloved flagship while in high orbit over Armageddon. The hatch sealed, locking us away with a great hiss. And with a loud roar we departed onto our prey. I watched my men as we neared our destination, ten great men of skill, strength, determination and valor waiting for what may be their last mission. But it was my responsibility to make sure it would not be their last. I am Corporal 1st class Trique of the 8th Cadian Army. I command an elite and diverse unit of Kasrkin, the most highly skilled of the 8th.  
  
Our mission was to re-enforce another team that had been pinned down by the Ork onslaught. Perhaps the most primitive space faring race in the galaxy, the Orks were vicious and horrendous foes. One can never get used to the awesome power of the Green Tide. But that does not mean that one such as the Imperium can stop it. For The Imperium of Man is not just another race of beings, we are the future.  
  
The countdown began. The display read, "One Minute Until Drop Zone Reached." The faces of my men seemed solidified into there face. Not even the forces of chaos could stop them now. They jnow their mission well. No detail went unmentioned. No question went unanswered. We were ready.  
  
We could feel the ship gradually slow down until it crept to a hover. The ship shook as it touched down. My men and I run out regrouped near a large boulder. The white sky surrounded as in the spirit of the Emperor. We could see the fighting off in the distance. That was our final destination. We soon saw our transport being dropped down not 100 meters away. That Chimera would be our only saving grace in this mission. It carried our souls and our devotion to the Emperor. These were the only tools needed to destroy the foes of Man. Everything else was unnecessary, yet nonetheless helpful.  
  
As we mounted into the Chimera known as the "Tortoise," only one man spoke. That man was my of my best soldiers. He spoke of his childhood on Cadia and all he had to live for. He spoke of his father going off to fight in the Eye of Terror and turning on the Imperium, and of how he at one time had impure blood. He had joined the Cadian Army to prove his family worthy of the Imperium. He had succeeded. He was truly worthy of the Imperium, no matter who his father was. That man would turn to be one of my most useful possessions in the time to come. 


	2. Chpater II First Contact

Chapter II- 1st Contact  
  
It took just five minutes to reach or location, which was an abandoned Imperial outpost on the East Coast of the continent. Once known as Cordis, it was being used as an Ork headquarters. Our mission was to re-enforce the units sent to retake it. My men were equipped with Hellguns, grenades and of course determination. I had one man with a Torcher and another with a Cooker. Both excelled in urban combat. Each of my men was skilled with their tools and would not fail the Emperor.  
  
We reached the outskirts of the city, where we had gained some ground, and dismounted from the Tortoise. We had planned to meet up with it later deep inside of the city. I, with my hellpistol and power sword in hand, directed my men across the war torn city we did not encounter any able Orks yet, only hellish corpses. Corpses of both Ork and Human bodies, twisted and mangled they as they lay. But then about 200 meters into the city, we saw an Ork mob advancing on our position from the left.  
  
They were about twenty-five strong, each with pistols and axes. The leader seemed to be an over grown Ork, a Nob as they are called. He looked much stronger had possessed a much larger stride. They were about 100 meters off but closing in on us. I ordered my men to take cover and start hailing at them. At first wave, three were hit but only one fell. We continued to hail hellgun fire at them, but at little effect. Those Orks were too damn tough. 50 yards away and still about fifteen strong, including the Nob. But we held. Still, we fired shot after shot at them but only the best were left. 30 meters. Now there had range on us, but they're primitive pistols did nothing. 20 meters. Here they could be torched. I gave the signal and a blinding stream of fire blasted toward what was left of the mob. Two were caught in the blaze but escaped and continued at us. 10 meters. I aim a blast dead center at ones head. I can feel the shock as it hurls towards the ground. Another fell after getting hurled backwards by Cooker fire. Only three remained to fight. But now was the time to really fight. As they all neared at an alarming rate, the flamers raised their weapons and finished them all off in a maelstrom of liquid fire and plasma. They were burning so close; we could all feel their screams of agony. But none of us paid any attention. I ordered my men to follow this road for three blocks and then take cover. I had planned to meet up with the Tortoise there. We could hear the bulk of the blasts and screams from that direction. We were walking into hell, but we would prevail.  
  
The men were all ready for a fight. They had no doubts in each other's ability. Each had a purpose and knew that purpose well. We nearly sprinted to our destination to help our fellow humans. We passed ruins of all sorts. Not a single building seemed to be fully intact. Mostly gray and black buildings created the theatre of battle. Many were ruined beyond repair. These were the victims of heavy Ork shelling and bombing. But nothing comes without consequences. That would be the lesson of the day... 


	3. Chapter III Consequences

Chapter III- Consequences  
  
We finally reached the end of the third block where we waited for the Tortoise. I had expected it to be waiting for us for it must have come across some trouble on route to this position. I ordered my men to take cover as we where now in the heavy caution zone. They all took position behind something and waited to escort the Tortoise through the streets. I had tried to establish a comm link with it nothing worked. We had all been waiting anxiously for less than ten minutes when someone finally said something. He said that it had probably been ambushed without since it didn't have an escort. Chimeras are fairly large and is a sitting duck in urban combat, given I doesn't have a ground escort. I had agreed with him and ordered two men to go and search for it while the rest of us waited. We would stay in contact the entire time.  
  
I directed the men through the streets of the comm to places the Tortoise may be. The team was about half a kilometer away when gunshots where heard over the comm. It then went silent. I feared the worst and ordered my unit to advance on their last known position. All seemed calm on our way. No stray Orks, no dead bodies, no shells landing nearby; the perfect setup for an ambush. I immediately ordered my men to take cover and only move on my orders. But cover was scarce. I refuge in the doorway of an abandoned shop but others were not so lucky in finding any cover. Some men were scrambling in the streets looking for something to hide behind but there was nothing left. Then suddenly the ambush occurred, just as suspected. Nearly 30 Orks seemed to jump out of nothing to attack us. Their poorly made rifles didn't seem very useful but one of my men did fall victim to their inferiority. His body dropped dead onto the streets as the green tide came our way. I ordered all of men to open fire upon the beasts. Immediately, my men let loose a hail of Hellgun fire upon the crowd. They weren't very far off and three of them dropped. Many were hit dead on but the blasts didn't seem to effect some. A large aura of blood encompassed the mob 10 meters off. The sight of their strength was amazing. My unit continued to let loose imperial death upon the mob but not many fell. We knew there would be combat. One man threw off a smoke grenade blind them as they neared. Some of my men continued to shoot through the smoke but others braced for combat. I put down my pistol and grabbed my blade. I knew it would serve me well. I watched as the first Ork ran out of the smoke. He was instantaneously pelted in the head by gunfire. The ground was shaking, as the Orks were very close. Suddenly four more Orks sprinted out of the smoke but one immediately fell. I and two others pounced on their bodies and cut them all down with few strikes. I then drew my pistol and shot blankly into the disappearing smoke that lay beside me. The road cracked as three more Orks hit the pavement. We could all now see the remaining green skins as the smoke cleared away. They were all soon met with fatal gunfire.  
  
I turned and looked at my men and saw three human bodies lying lifeless on the ground. Victims of blind Ork fire they were. We had no time to bury them. I gave a prayer for the Emperor and their souls and ordered the remaining of my men to carry on. 


End file.
